Friday, September 24, 2010

Any Rub Glaze

Fall arrived this week.

That changes the types of things I cook, how about you? For me it means more soups and roasts. And on the first evening of Fall, that is what I made, a pork loin roast.

One of the rubs I received in the free sampler pack from McCormicks at the beginning of the summer was their new Grill Mates Applewood Rub.

It was good back then when I made pork chops....

But the "appleness" of it really made me hold onto this one until after summer. I guess that is because I use apple wood for smoke more in the Fall. Not sure why I do that, apples are seasonal but apple wood is available all year.

I rubbed a pork loin roast with the Applewood Rub. After a quick sear of the roast, I set up my grill for an indirect cook. In a half steam pan under the roast rack, I added some sliced carrots, quartered onions and half a head of garlic. I poured about a 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of chicken stock over that and sprinkled tarragon over the carrots. I added 4 potatoes wrapped in foil over the hottest spots.

I roasted all of that for about an hour at 350f. The temps rose up a bit on me but I think that was from all the food coming up in temp and the opening of the Egg to glaze the meat let in more air.

While that was going, I made my "any rub glaze". This is the simple "go to" glaze that I use for poultry and pork roasts. I like it because the honey, wine, butter mixture works with just about any rub. This is an easy way to add another complementary layer of flavor.

Any Rub Glaze

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup honey
1-2 tsp of whatever dry rub you are using

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and blend in the other ingredients.

See? Easy. Then just apply the glaze 2-3 times in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

This was a great dinner, it disappeared quickly. The thin sliced pork was moist and flavorful and the potatoes were perfectly baked. The tarragon carrots tasted wonderful and were good enough for seconds, but I like mine more tender. Honestly, I like my carrots overcooked to where they give a fork no resistance. So for me, next time I'd parboil them for a few minutes before throwing them in the roast pan.

The McCormick's rub is perfect for a pork loin roast. I am wary about any "wood" flavoring from anything other than real smoke, but this rub works. [Standard Disclaimer] You could even do this easy roast in your oven.

I didn't intend for this to be a McCormick's post but that reminds me, they have two new products that I am having a love affair with right now. While shopping two weeks ago, Alexis picked up a bottle each of their Roasted Cumin and Roasted Saigon Cinnamon. Talk about upgrade! Cumin and cinnamon are flavor powerhouses already but these two take it further. I used the cumin in fajitas a few weeks ago and the cinnamon in a rub from Smoke and Spice. Wow, they both sing.

Fire Day Friday
Not that I didn't already take up enough of your time, but my Fire Day Friday post over at Our Krazy Kitchen was Grilled Garlic Chicken with Sherry Butter Sauce.

So how does Fall alter your cooking?
What Fall dishes are you really looking forward to?
What Summer recipes are you sad to see go for the year?